


Hegemony

by DaireneCallahan



Category: Obsolete (anime), 英雄伝説 閃の軌跡 | Sen no Kiseki | The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:21:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27743656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaireneCallahan/pseuds/DaireneCallahan
Summary: Although featuring characters from Legend of Heroes (as well as other franchises), the world premise will be based on the 2019 Youtube anime Obsolete by Gen Urobuchi, produced by Buemon, and streamed by Bandai NamcoIn 2049, just 35 years after the Peddler aliens began trading Exo-Frames to humanity, wars big and small blaze through huge swaths of the Earth.  However, business is booming for private military corporations, which fight each other over territory, resources, and patronage.  The United States, having beaten its rivals, Russia and China, back to their borders, and established puppet regimes the world over, is content to pay off PMCs to do much of their dirty work and secure vital resources.  However, unbeknownst to many, vast conspiracies swirl beneath the surface...





	1. Casual Violence

August 17, 2049

Along the Prut River near Albita Village, Dranceni Commne, Vaslui County, Nord-Est Region, Republic of Romania...

Private Juna Crawford, riding on her Haribon Class II Armored Exo-Frame on a routine security patrol for Haribon Military Services' Azure Battalion ahead of a Romanian National Guard convoy, sighed as she completed her patrol, and looked to her teammate's Exo-Frame.

"Looks all clear, Mira."

"Agreed, let's get this over with," Corporal Miranda Campbell replied over the radio, before contacting their superiors. "Corporal Campbell checking in. Zone Seven is clear."

"Acknowledged, Private," Her superior, Lieutenant Ciel Soleil, replied. "The convoy is proceeding as planned. Hold your position, and await further orders. The Romanians should be safely through the area in ten minutes."

Juna sighed and radioed her teammate. "Hey, Mira... about what we were talking about yesterday... about what we're fighting for? I mean, are we really doing anything to combat terrorism- or are we feeding fuel to the fire? Last week, we gunned down a bunch of poor kids who believed they were fighting Romanian occupation of their country. And these escort missions? We're complicit in the aiding a hopeless war over inconsequential patches of territory... for what? To help some nationalist politician's reelection campaign in Bucharest?"

Since 2039, a right-wing nationalist government in Romania had invaded and occupied large western swaths of the small nation of Moldova to their northeast with minimal resistance from Moldova's poorly-funded and demoralized military. However, in Moldova's final days, Transnistria, a breakaway republic with limited diplomatic recognition expanded rapidly into Moldova proper, hoping to create a buffer zone between itself and the encroaching Romanian Army.

The Transnistrian plan had worked- to a degree- but were now locked in a bitter border conflict with Romania, the latter of which insistently claimed all of Transnistria and the former Moldova as Romanian territory. France, which had cultivated extensive economic and geopolitical ties to the Romanian government, supported Romania with weapons and Foreign Legion troops, while Spain and Italy, also possessing economic interests in Romania, sent more limited aid. Meanwhile, Hungary, which was waging its own bitter irredentist border conflict with Romania over Banat and Crisana (albeit generally through proxies and deniable assets), was suspected to be aiding the Transnistrians in some capacity as well.

The nationalist regime in Ukraine found itself in a difficult position- it had long despised Transnistria due to the tiny country's close ties to its staunch enemy, Russia. But more concerned with the threat of Romanian troops advancing so close to its borders, and fearing further Romanian irredentism on northern Bessarabia, Vinnytsia, and Odessa, Ukraine chose to arm and support the Transnistrians, funnily alongside their long-time Russian enemies. And they were certainly now alone- the United Kingdom and Germany also provided under-the-table support funding to Transnistria, largely in order to stymie French ambitions. And it was well known that the Russian-based Wagner Group and the American-based Cerberus Security Services private military companies had been fighting on Transnistria's side, though the stand opaqueness of contracts cast doubt on whether the actual contracts had been signed with the Transnistrian government or... other interested parties, while the Dubai-based Fenrir Mercenary Corps and Haribon fought for the Romanians. The situation was further complicated by the insurgency of the Socialist Republican Front or SRF, an alliance of seven left-wing, nationalist, and pro-Russian parties in Moldova proper that had been outlawed by the Romanian occupation, and communist rebels within Romania itself, both of which were being openly supported by Transnistria.

Corporal Campbell sighed exasperatedly. "Juna, sweetie, please watch yourself. I know Haribon is a lot more liberal than most PMCs, but that kind of talk can still get you in trouble, especially considering your... record. I know Lieutenant Soleil will definitely let that fly, but if Sergeant Ulabore catches wind, half the camp will know you as a 'commie sympathizer' by the end of the week."

Juna bit her lip. Her big mouth had definitely gotten her in trouble previouly- a native of England, she joined the police academy right out of middle school, her naive head filled with ideas of justice, patriotism, and fighting crime. But in her final year at the academy, her views became marred while interning at a detention camp for Irish prisoners from the ongoing Irish Border Conflict. Not only did she have to come to terms with the complexity of geopolitical and social realities, Juna found herself appalled at the despicable conditions and abuse the prisoners were subject to, in violation of the UK's own laws. Naively, Juna had drafted an extensive and detailed report of these abuses and violations, and filed a complaint to both the camp administration and the academy board. Instead of the expected improvements however, Juna found herself stripped of all the credits she'd worked so hard to earn and expelled from the police academy.

Bitter, disillusioned, and lost, she'd proven susceptible when the Haribon recruiter approached her, preaching about a PMC that supposedly took greater care to defend human rights, protect civilians, and honor the rules of engagement. It wasn't long before she found herself in a Haribon training camp in France... and a few months later, on the front lines.

"S-Sorry..." Juna stammered. "Never mind... just- just forget it..."

"Look, it's not like I don't know where you're coming from," Miranda offered in a conciliatory tone. "But whether we like it or not, if it's not this war, some other war will be fought, somewhere, somehow. Terrorism will always exist, war will always exist. But we need to make a living, and we're also doing real good protecting civilians. Maybe some of the rebels got good reasons to be angry, but terrorism isn't the way to do it."

"Erm... guess, maybe you're right-"

"Attention, all available units!" A third voice cut urgently into the channel- Captain Noel Seeker of Azure Battalion's A Company. "Zone Four is under attack from irregular forces! The convoy is in danger of being breached! We need assistance from the Second Platoon!"

"U-Understood!" Lieutenant Soleil replied hastily. "Corporal Campbell, Private Crawford, fall back to Zone Four, standard suppression formation! I'll get in touch with Sergeant Ulabore!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The two soldiers replied in unison.

The two Exo-Frames trapised rapidly southward to Zone Four, weapons armed.

"Captain Seeker, what's the disposition of enemy forces?" Corporal Campbell asked urgently.

"We've engaged enemy Exo-Frames; infantry with RPGs and mine-layers have been spotted too! I've sending coordinates from First Platoon on suspected insurgent positions!"

"Thank you, Captain!" Corporal Campbell replied. "Juna, head to Target 5, I'll head to Target 3!"

"Understood!" Juna acknowledged, splitting up. She mentally pushed her Exo-Frame to its top speed, sprinting toward her designated coordinates.

Before long, she caught sight of a column of risings smoke, where Juna guessed the convoy should be at.

"Crap!" As she got closer, Juna could see several wrecked Romanian Army trucks, and a main battle tank burning.

Using burning trucks and terrain formations for cover, a pair of unmarked Exo-Frames was exchanging fire with the Haribon and Romanian escorts.

A Romanian Army TR-A7 main battle tank lumbered forward to bring its much-heavier gun to bear on the enemy, with an Exo-Frame closely covering its flank. But abruptly, there was a bright flash in the bushes, and then the Romanian Exo-Frame shook with a loud explosion and impact, before collapsing to the ground.

Moments later, anti-tank missiles launched from the insurgent Exo-Frames blasted the tank, leaving it a smoldering wreck.

"Take this!" Juna cried out, as she fired anti-armor missiles at the hostile Exo-Frames, who were wholly unprepared for a flanking attack from Juna's direction, blowing them up one after another.

Her defensive sensors beeped in warning of incoming fire, so Juna ducked down and slid into cover behind some battle wreckage.

"EEEP!" Juna cried out involuntarily as an explosion erupted next to her Exo-Frame. She switched to her machine gun armament and twisted her Exo-Frame's left arm to fire out of cover, raking the general direction of enemy positions with suppressive fire.

Glancing at the coordinates of allied units, Juna hastily radioed, "Private Crawford to Corporal Jenkins! Can you get a fix on the enemy positions?"

"Corporal Jenkins is hit, this is Corporal Adanar!" A voice reported. "I'll handle it though! Thanks for taking the heat off us!"

Adanar's Exo-Frame mounted a large mortar and began firing it off, bombarding the roadside brush.

"Private Crawford, go back up Corporal Campbell, and clear out any enemy stragglers! She's pursuing insurgents fleeing toward the rear of the convoy, where Sergeant Ulabore is stationed!"

"Understood!" Juna accelerated her Exo-Frame back to top speed and headed to regroup with her teammate.

As she closed in on Campbell's position, she noticed a trio of dark figures running from the railroad tracks. One of them appeared to be carrying a long implement that might be a weapon.

"Damn it!" Juna muttered. "I can't leave potential threats to our rear...!" She turned her Exo-Frame around to face the fleeing figures, and pressed her broadcast system, which included a translator that was currently tuned to Romanian. "Freeze! You are in a restricted area! Drop any weapons and put your hands up!" Juna followed up by firing a blank sonic shot into the air.

One of them, a young man, dropped what looked like a shovel and turned to face Juna with her hands up. The other two complied as well, revealing an elderly woman and a young girl of about elementary school age.

They don't look like rebels," Juna muttered to herself, examining them through her weapons scope. "Local civilians, then? Maybe scavengers?" She supposed they could also be spotters, or even minelayers for the insurgents, not that she would be able to prove it as she was.

"Bang!" A voice exclaimed, as Juna caught sight of an Exo-Frame suddenly burst out of the bushes to her right. "If I were an enemy, you'd be dead, Crawford!"

"AAAH!" Juna cried out in shock, her heart nearly leaping into her throat, and she instinctively jammed the trigger button, before glimpsing the Haribon emblem on its side.

Gunfire erupted from her Exo-Frame's guns, raking the three people at the end of her guns.

"Fuck, NO! No, no, no!" Juna exclaimed in horror at what she had just done, rushing forward in a panic. "No, no- Sergeant- what- did you... make me do..." Juna stared down at three bullet-ridden bodies. "What- what have I-"

"Oh, oops, scared you, didn't I?" The pilot of the intruding Exo-Frame, Sergeant Alster Ulabore of the First Recon Squad, replied dismissively, not sounding sorry at all. His Exo-Frame scooted closer to the Romanians that Juna had shot. "Oh ho, looks like we have some kills here."

The old woman, who had been shot in the left arm and flank, was still stirring feebly. Noticing this, Sergeant Ulabore raised his Exo-Frame's left gun and shot her through the head.

"Sergeant!" Juna exclaimed, sickened at the callous disregard. "What have you done?! You just-"

"-killed a commie sympathizer, I know," Sergeant Ulabore replied steely. "You should be thanking me- you were the one who shot them after all, you know. Don't make a bigger fuss out of it. Come on now, if you're done here, we've got more reds to mop up!"

The Sergeant's Exo-Frame shot away, headed to the rear of the convoy, leaving Juna staring and clenching her fists in disbelief, her eyes beginning to water.


	2. Confrontation

Juna only a few seconds to shake in shock and anger before another very familiar voice jolted Juna out of her dismay.

"This is Corporal Campbell! I've pursuing terrorist suspects, they seem to be fleeing toward a building! Please send backup!"

"Understood, Corporal! Ulabore here, I'm on my way!" Sergeant Ulabore's voice came over the radio shortly after.

Gritting her teeth, Juna mentally powered up her Exo-Frame and throttled forward, racing after Ulabore, toward Campbell's position.

She eventually found Campbell and Ulabore's Exo-Frames parked in front of an old-looking derelict factory, with two dead bodies next to their weapons in front, while about a dozen men and women knelt on the ground in front of it, hands behind their heads. Some of them were practically children.

Campbell was aiming her large mech-rifle at them, while apparently reporting to Ulabore.

"Sergeant, Corporal?" Juna radioed to the two squad-mates. "What… is going on here?"

"Ah, apologies, Private," Corporal Campbell acknowledged. "I was reporting to the Sergeant that I'd followed some insurgents back to this place and captured a number of suspected insurgent…" Corporal Campbell gestured to the huddled people. "…and was inquiring how many we should take into custody."

"Yeah, Mindy, and I was saying how we shouldn't," Ulabore scoffed exasperatedly. "We haven't got time and resources to take prisoners. Besides, these guys are probably two-bit timers- weekend terrorists- that don't know anything. We should just eliminate them and go."

"Sergeant, are you suggesting a violation of company policy and a breach of international law?" Campbell scrutinized, her voice tense. Juna also knew Miranda bristled at being called "Mindy".

"No need to put it in such harsh terms, Mindy dear," Ulabore assuaged in an apparently-cavalier voice, but Juna could sense the steely tone behind that voice.

"Consider this a… prudent action. We can't very well let commie scum go free, just so they can stab us in the back, can we?!"

"But Sergeant, any way I look at it, it violates company policy. I'm afraid I can't partake-" Campbell protested.

"Look, ladies, I'm a gentleman," Ulabore continued in a suave voice quite unfitting the situation.

Juna, who had been shaking in fury, exploded. "S-Sergeant! Do- do you even realize what you're saying?!" What you've done?! You're talking about committing war crimes like- like it's nothing to you! These are people! We don't even know if they're involved or just poor saps taking shelter here! You- you monster!"

"Fine, I'll do it myself! But when we get back to camp, Private, I have some choice words for you."

"Sergeant, no!" Juna yelled, her pleading tone to no avail.

Ulabore aimed his port gun at the line of defenseless prisoners and opened fire.

Screams of agony and terror pierced the air, while any prisoners who could fled chaotically.

Staring at Ulabore's back, Juna gritted her teeth in hatred, and trained her weapon sights on his Exo-Frame.

Corporal Campbell caught on to what Juna was about to do and shouted in alarm. "Juna, no, don't- !"

Juna opened fired her grenade launcher, just as Miranda tried to get between her and the Sergeant.

"AAAHH!" Campbell shrieked just before the rocket-propelled grenade impacted on her Exo-Frame in a tremendous explosion, knocking over both Campbell and Ulabore's Exo-Frames.

Juna's eyes went wide with horror. "MIRANDA!" She rushed forward to the smouldering wreck of both fallen Exo-Frames. She tried to force open Miranda's cockpit, but it had fused shut in the explosion. "Private Crawford to Azure Battalion, two units down, we need S&R asap!"

Juna opened her cockpit, grabbing her emergency cutter and rushing down in hopes of manually freeing Miranda.

The terrified Romanians, bewildered by the sudden infighting between their apparent would-be executioners, hastily attempted to drag their wounded into the woods and treat them.

Despite Juna's best efforts, the cockpits of Haribon Class II Armored Exo-Frames were designed to resist attempts to manually force it open from the outside. It certainly wasn't something she could handle with her handheld tool.

"Miranda, I'm- I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Juna sobbed, falling to her knees in despair. "Why- why did this happen-?!"

Breaking down completely, she remained kneeling as Haribon reinforcements and rescue teams swarmed the area, equipped with heavy tools for just such a situation.


	3. Reckoning

August 18, 2049

Haribon Forward Operating Center for Northeast Romania, south of Iasi, in Iasi County, Republic of Romania...

Juna Crawford groaned painfully as she shifted her position, gradually pushing herself into a sitting position.

Her whole body ached, as she'd been forced into a restless sleep of lying on a frame of incredibly-uncomfortable metal bars, while her arms and legs were still chained to the side. It didn't help that one of the guards previously on shift had a crush on Miranda, and had jumped Juna in retaliation for the events yesterday. Now she was covered in bruises, and there was a dried gash on right cheek.

'Damn it, Ulabore...WHYY?!' Juna seethed internally, grinding her teeth. 'That stuck-up, rich, murderous asshole! If only he hadn't-!' Juna tried to kick at the stone floor of her cell, just out of reach, just to feel a sharp pain in her ankles as her leg chains became taut. 'Why him-?!'

If it had been virtually any other ordinary Haribon officer, it's likely she would have recieved some accolade for stopping a rogue superior from conducting a massacre. Heck, Miranda might even have helped.

But Sergeant Ulabore wasn't just any officer though, and despite all the privileges he enjoyed at Haribon, he'd never really shared the company's… "values", however limited those were. But he was the son of a major investor, and he'd been previously discharged from the US Army for insubordination and misconduct, so his father had pulled some strings. Ulabore enjoyed a lot of privileges too- laxer discipline, higher pay than his rank normally afforded, access to special, luxurious quarters for higher officers.

Yet he was oddly popular- a smooth-talking playboy who hosted parties, tossed around his father's money at times, snuck friends into the officer lounges, and gave out hard-to-get commodities- tended to attract a following. His occasional derogatory comments about "commies" and disdain for locals was a bit unusual for Haribon, but just about everyone knew someone like him. Such attitudes were common in many armies and PMCs these days after all.

Juna raised her head at the sound of someone walking down the corridor. A second later, Lieutenant Ciel Soleil, the ranking officer of Azure Battalion's Second Platoon, and direct superior of Sergeant Ulabore, stepped in front of her cell. "Miss Crawford!"

"Lieutenant!" Juna hastily stood up and tried to salute instinctively, only to bungle it clumsily, as she had momentarily forgot her hands were still chained.

"No need for that- your position is revoked right now, so you're currently not a soldier, just a civilian detainee awaiting trial under corporate law," Soleil informed in her usual, uptight voice.

The words stung Juna more than she thought it would, and she struggled to calm her breathing.

Lieutenant Soleil's face softened a little as she saw Juna's stricken expression, and, for a rare moment, allowed her guard to drop slightly.

"Well, it can be restored if you're found innocent, pardoned, or have served your sentence. God knows we need every soldier we can get, and it's not like I don't know where you're coming from.

But you have to know, in this line of work, a conscience and high-minded ideals are a liability. Haribon, whatever it is marketed to be by PR, we're still a mercenary corps. And you did shoot at Sergeant Ulabore. And, if it's any consolation to you, the guard who beat you earlier has been reprimanded and temporarily suspended."

Juna swallowed hard and asked hoarsely. "How… how is Corporal Campbell?"

Soleil shook her head sadly. "She is alive… but critical. It's too early to tell right now. As for Sergeant Ulabore, the left side of his Exo-Frame cockpit was partially-crushed, injuring his left arm- it may be permanantly-damaged- but it's not life-threatening. Just so you know, he is accusing you of not just mutiny and violence against a superior officer, but multiple accounts of killing civilians. I've seen your combat footage, and have a good idea what happened... but his father is a board member."

"I... I see..." Juna lowered her head in sorrow, mixed with disgust with herself. This disgust wasn't just born of her action and accidental shooting of a close friend. Deep down, a twisted part of her whispered that Miranda deserved what she got for getting in her way, trying to protect Ulabore, and standing by doing nothing while he committed crimes.

"What... what about those locals? In the factory? Did any… survive?"

"I don't know how many fled before our medical crews arrived, but five bodies were found at the scene, and seven people were taken in alive without violence. Five were seriously-wounded and are undergoing treatment now," Soleil informed stoically. "Major Irving has been discussing matters with headquarters, and it's likely they will be released as soon as they have recovered. A monetary settlement may also be in the works."

"I see..." A little hope lit up on Juna's face, in this dire situation. "At least... some of them will make it."

"I can't pretend that any of this is pretty or just, but we'll at least try to do the decent thing," Soleil sighed. "But to think that even behind bars, you're thinking about them- you're a good person Juna. Maybe a little too good. And while I can't condone what you've done, I can... at least understand where you're coming from."

"Yeah, you said that before," Juna mumbled, a little grumpily.

"I was talking with Captain Seeker about our options. We could reinstate you and send you to another of our operational theaters… perhaps Haiti or Afghanistan… maybe even Libya- to get you away from Ulabore for a while. Then, I'm sure he could cool his heels."

Juna closed her eyes solemnly. "I- I understand. Th- thank you."

"I know it won't be easy, but I know you're a tough girl," Soleil remarked encouragingly. "Whereever you're sent, I know-"

"I'm afraid that... will have to be a no-go," A low voice interjected grimly. "Our earlier discussions I mean."

"Major Irving?!" Lieutenant Soleil's eyes went wide, and she hurriedly saluted. "And Captain Seeker too! I- I didn't see you there… what brings you here?"

The two superior officers stepped into view of Juna's cell.

"We- We just received the message not long ago… straight from Paris…" Captain Seeker gave Juna a bit of an apologetic look.

"There's been a change of plans," Major Irving asserted. He turned to face Juna. "I'm very sorry, Ms. Crawford, but the High Marshal has requested to deal with you… personally."

"Wait… WHAT?!" Juna's eyes widened in shock. "No, no, that-"

Lieutenant Soleil's face looked shocked and stricken, but after a moment, it was replaced by a look of defeat. She forced herself to avert Juna's gaze. "I'm- I'm so sorry, Juna..."

"Don't- Don't be..." Juna muttered in a hollow voice. "This- it's- all my fault, after all..."


	4. Knights of Steel

December 22, 2049

On board the Glowgen Defense Systems destroyer, GDS Jormangand II (on contract with the Republic of Turkey), in the Gulf of Sidra, coastal territorial waters of the State of Libya, near Sirte, Libya...

Colonel Vassago Casals of Glowgen Defense Systems lit a cigarette as he sat lazily in the commander's seat on the bridge.

The ship's computers were targeting two Libyan Coast Guard cutters. They had been lured to this position close to Glowgen-controlled territory after pursuing a small craft smuggling migrants toward Italy.

Of course, in this particular case, the smugglers had been paid to take this particular route by Glowgen, which occupied large parts of eastern Libya, to serve as unwitting sacrifices in this ruthless operation.

In recent weeks, the Libyan War had taken a sour turn for Glowgen, as forces aligned with the Libyan government in Tripoli had gone on an aggressive offensive in eastern Tripolitania and the area around Sabha, overrunning multiple key Glowgen garrisons.

Traditionally, western Libya had been the domain of one of Glowgen's long-time rivals, Haribon Military Services. But now the Libyan government side had been bolstered with reinforcements from the Royal Saudi Armed Forces, Special Forces detachments from France and Israel, the German-based Jester Mercenary Corps, and even the Russian-based Wagner Group PMC.

The Egyptian government, under the de facto influence of the Frontier Militia Group PMC, vowed to send reinforcements to aid Glowgen and the United National Congress (an Islamist-leaning rebel administration based in Benghazi that acted as the public face and proxy for both Glowgen and the Turkish government), while the Frontier Militia itself was tied up in a bloody turf war with a rival PMC, the Band of the Falcon, in southern Egypt. But Casals knew it wouldn't be in time to stem the worst of the damage.

Their current contractor, Turkey, was threatening to renegotiate their contract if certain conditions were not met. So Glowgen's Chief Tactical Officer, General Gabriel Miller, decided to enact a bold new strategy- raiding civilian shipping. After all, the Libyan regime in the west was quite economically-dependent on foreign trade, and Haribon likewise depended greatly on civilian transports for its logistical needs. If those were cut off, western Libya would starve. People would riot, troops mutiny.

But first, Casals intended to whittle down the Libyan Coast Guard and Haribon's naval patrol units as much as possible, eroding their ability to patrol Libyan territorial waters. Once they were gone, it would be easy enough for Glowgen to deploy a fleet of small privateer motorboats, submersibles, and light attack planes to prey on enemy shipping with impunity.

"Colonel! We have confirmed the targets are within range!" The ship's sensors officer, Ensign Rufus Parker, reported smartly.

Casals snorted derisively. It was just too easy- he almost craved for a better challenge. Still, he had his orders. "Formulate firing solution, and fire at will!"

The warship's naval guns turned to blast the Coast Guard cutters and right out of the water, the small smuggler craft along with it. Light, unarmored, and stationary at that moment, they were no match for naval artillery.

"YES!" Colonel Casals shouted, standing up. It was a lot more emphatic than he'd meant it to be, but he did need to inspire some sort of enthusiasm among his crew. "Another successful mission done!"

Cheers erupted through the bridge.

"Take this LAF scum!"

"Victory for Glowgen!"

"Now, now, settle down everyone!" Captain Arwel Bowers chided. "Any special instructions, Colonel?"

"None, Captain," Casals smirked. "Please, carry on."

"Understood. Navigation, chart a course back toward Benghazi. Sensors, stay vigilant for any enemy response!"

"Um... Captain...?" The sensors officer, Ensign Parker, spoke up hesitantly. "We have an... unknown object flying at high speed from the coast! No- no, identification, sir!"

"What the-?!" Captain Bowers exclaimed. "Weapons, fire SAMs!"

"Targeting- eh?" The Ensign Parker paused again. "What the?!"

"What's the holdup?!" Casals interjected. "Get a firing solution now!"

"It- it's gone!" Parker stammered in shock.

"Weapons, fire a SAM at their projected path! Then get the AA cannons online!"

"Understood!" The weapons officer, Ensign Beckett Mariner, complied.

"What the hell could this mean?" Captain Bowers pored over the sensor readouts.

"Patience, Captain," Casals stated firmly. "Some sort of stealth function, perhaps. It seems our dear friends at Haribon may have gotten their hands on some new... toys. Navigation, stay on course! Weapons, be ready to fire at any sign of hostility!"

Are back! And there are seven, no eight of them! They're- Exo-Frame-sized!"

"What- Flying Exo-Frames?!" Captain Bowers exclaimed.

"That can't be… the Knights of Steel, can it?!" The communications officer, Lieutenant Petra Tebut, exclaimed. "What could they be doing here?!"

"What- that can't be real… can it?!" Ensign Parker.

"Sir, they are circling out of range!" The wide-eyed Parker reported.

"Then hail them," Casals narrowed his eyes. "Let me address them! General comm channel!"

"Patching it through, Colonel!" Lieutenant Tebut reported.

Colonel Casals cleared his throat. "Unidentified vehicles, this is the destroyer GDS Jormangand II, of Glowgen Defense Systems, operating under a legitimate contract, and with the full express permission of the legitimate government of the United National Congress of Libya! We do not seek conflict with you, but we are ready to defend ourselves! Please stand down and depart this warzone!"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

One of the Kestrel-class Aerial Exo-Frame trembled, as its pilot became agitated. "The nerve of those fools! To speak to us Knights like this! I have a half-mind to kill them now!"

"Calm yourself, Steel Two," A firm, mechanical voice chided disapprovingly from a much larger modified Exo-Frame, known to the group as the Iron Hawk. "They are merely desperate. Yet proud, I suppose, as many PMCs are. Be careful, Two, that you do not repeat the same foolish mistake as Jalalabad. This time, let's make sure there are some survivors."

"My- my apologies, High Marshal," Steel Two hastily backpedalled. "Forgive me for speaking out of turn."

"Then go make sure your Sleipnir is correctly positioned to fire at my signal. And let me do the talking," Steel Leader dismissed, before opening an open comms channel, and declaring authoritatively. "Minions of Glowgen Defense Services, we are the Knights of Steel, Warriors of a new age! And I am their leader, Lord Lionheart! Know this, that our strike against you is not personal. We are well aware of your sins, but we are in no position to judge- all our hands are awash with the blood of the innocent. No, rather we are taking this opportunity to announce ourselves to the world! For those of you who survive, go forth and spread word of our ascension! As our God wills!"

"As God wills!" A chorus of mechanical voices exclaimed as the other Kestrel pilots followed the Iron Hawk in gunning their craft toward the Glowgen destroyer, which began hastily firing off its SAMs and anti-aircraft cannons.

This effort proved to be of little avail, as the nimble craft navigated evasively, releasing chaff. Those cannon shots that actually approached their mark ran into sudden barriers of energy before they could hit their intended targets.

The flying Exo-Frames opened fire, targeting the ship's center. Explosions and kinetic impacts tore through the superstructure and right on into the lower decks, destroying equipment, setting off munitions, and pulverizing crew unlucky to be caught up in it.

An enormous explosion burst out of the ship, ripping it in half, spewing debris and smoke into the air.

Satisfied by the carnage, the flying Exo-Frames peeled away, cruising back toward the Libyan mainland.


	5. Glossary and Reference

Glossary/Reference: 

Band of the Falcon:   
A private military company with many operations mainly in Africa. One of their most prominent operations is in southern Egypt, with their operational headquarters being located in Luxor. They are bitter enemies of the Frontier Militia Group, as they struggle for control of Egypt.  
-  
-  
Cerberus Security Services:   
An American and British-based private military company, with operations around the world, one of the earliest PMCs to be make use of Exo-Frames after the arrival of the Peddlers and the signing of the Sankt Gallen Agreement in 2014. One of their current contracts has them helping defending Transnistria from Romania.  
-  
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Fenrir Mercenary Corps:   
A private military company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, known for its ruthless behavior, shady clientele, and widely-suspected for participating in illegal activities. Among its contracts include aiding the Romanian government in combating Transnistria and left-wing insurgents.  
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Glowgen Defense Systems:   
A private military company based in Los Angeles, USA, with a reputation of ruthlessness and willingness to take contracts that have little regard for civilians, neutral parties, or even allied forces. Often used by governments to carry out operations in which plausible deniability is important, including false-flag operations, and attacks on erstwhile allies. One of their contracts is with the Turkish government to operate in Libya, aiding the rebel United National Congress against the Libyan government.  
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Frontier Militia Group:   
A private military company based in northern Egypt (headquartered in Cairo), that has an inordinate amount of influence over the Egyptian government. The Frontier Militia is sympathetic to the United National Congress rebel forces in Libya, but is struggling against a rival PMC, the Band of the Falcon, which has occupied southern Egypt.  
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Haribon Military Services:   
A well-known private military company headquartered in Paris, France, but with operations all over the world. Haribon has claimed a much-higher moral standard than most PMCs, and a reputation for a more liberal environment than typical PMCs.   
*Azure Battalion- A battalion of Haribon Military Services, commanded by Major Michael Irving, stationed in northeast Romania, along the border between Romania proper and Romanian-occupied Moldova, under a contract for counterinsurgency operations with the Romanian government.  
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Jester Mercenary Corps:   
A relatively-small German-based private military company currently helping the Libyan government combat the rebel United National Congress in Libya.  
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Libyan Armed Forces (LAF), not to be confused with the Libyan National Army (LNA):   
The official military of the State of Libya, which is suffering from low morale, lack of funding, and poor equipment, despite having sizable troop numbers on paper. Their operational area is mostly restricted to western Libya, as the eastern part of the country has been overrun by the rebel United National Congress. They are highly-reliant on foreign support and allied private military companies such as Haribon Military Services, Jester Mercenary Corps, and the Wagner Group. The Libyan Coast Guard, while frequently operating with, and closely associated with the Libyan Armed Forces, are actually not part of the LAF, but a separate force for light security patrols and rescue operations.  
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Knights of Steel:   
The Knights of Steel were a rumored enigmatic group that is said to have been responsible for a series of mysterious attacks around the world in the past few months. Most of the claims were unfounded, but there were a couple of notable attacks that were indeed suspicious- such as the mysterious destruction of an entire battalion of PMC troops in eastern Afghanistan, the sinking of an entire US Navy destroyer squadron while in port at Equatorial Guinea, and the destruction of a joint NATO-PMC frontier base on the Inner Kazakh Border. Alleged eyewitness accounts claimed these “Knights” operated flying Exo-Frames and possessed mysterious technology and weapons, and some conspiracy theorists speculated that they had some ties to Haribon Military Services, considering the latter benefited enormously from these alleged attacks.   
For example, the mysterious destruction of a PMC base owned by Hellfire Solutions west of Jalalabad, and an entire battalion of their troops, forced Hellfire to renegotiate their contract and greatly reduce their operational area. Haribon, which already controlled much of western Afghanistan, quickly picked up the slack, expanding over the eastern part of the country. And after the sinking of Destroyer Squadron 22 in the port of Beta, Equatorial Guinea, the US government signed a new contract with Haribon to assist with naval patrols.  
Most mainstream media dismissed the existence of the Knights of Steel as an urban legend or conspiracy theory, attributing the attacks to more conventional enemies, but it was undeniable that certain circles of corporate, PMC, military, and intelligence officials were indeed worried.  
*Kestrel-class Aerial Exo-Frame- A highly-modified   
*Iron Hawk- Personal Aerial Exo-Frame used by Lord “Lionheart”, leader of the Knights of Steel   
*Sleipnir- Exo-Frame Drones used by the Knights of Steel   
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Patriotic Guards of Romania (PGR):   
A communist insurgent group fighting against Romania’s nationalist government, and supported by the unrecognized republic of Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic).  
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Socialist Republican Front (SRF):  
An insurgent group in Moldova fighting the Romanian occupation, and supported by the unrecognized republic of Transnistria (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic). The SRF was formed from an alliance of seven left-wing, nationalist, and pro-Russian parties which had been outlawed after the Romanian invasion.  
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United National Congress (UNC):   
A rebel administration in eastern Libya (headquartered in the city of Benghazi), dominated by Islamist parties in opposition to the mostly-secular government, that formed after a disputed election in which the Islamist opposition accused the ruling parties of vote-rigging. Although highly-dependent on private military companies and foreign military support, it also has some sizeable military forces of its own, including a self-declared National Guard and a Petroleum Facilities Guard, as well as the support of some independent Islamist militias.  
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Wagner Group:   
A well-known private military company headquartered in Novosibirsk, Russia. Although, not directly affiliated with the Russian government, the Wagner Group is suspected of frequently helping advance Russia’s national interests, one of the few channels that Russia can still influence events in a world dominated by the US and private military companies. Their current operations is helping defend Transnistria from Romania, and helping the Libyan government combat the rebel United National Congress (UNC) in the Libyan Civil War.


End file.
